An insulation and fire-protection company only lets AI answer after 5 rings
Humans still answer first; AI takes overflow and captures just 4 things.
Real storyDone with AI receptionist (unnamed)
TradesAll trades
What they did
A commenter at an insulation + fire protection company said what "made it not suck was scoping it way down": the main number still rings humans, and the AI only picks up after 5 rings or when the line is busy. It collects name, callback number, which site, and whether it's urgent.
How it went
The transcript lands in a shared inbox, and someone calls back within the hour. In the same thread, others advised using AI as overflow rather than a replacement, and making sure callers can reach a human the first time they ask.
Worth knowing
Narrow jobs work best. Sample a week of missed calls before writing the AI's rules.
Try it yourself
You are an experienced front-desk manager at a busy Wisconsin service business who has handled thousands of after-hours calls.
## Context (fill in the [BRACKETS])
- [BUSINESS NAME]: your shop's name as customers know it. Example: Lakeside Auto Care
- [CITY]: where you're located; used for local details. Example: Oconomowoc, WI
- [TONE]: how you talk to customers. Example: friendly, straight-talking, no jargon
- [SERVICES]: what you do. Example: brakes, diagnostics, oil changes, tires
- [HOURS]: your open hours. Example: Mon-Fri 7-5
- [EMERGENCY RULES]: what counts as urgent and who gets the call. Example: tow-ins: take info, text owner at 414-555-0100
- [BOOKING]: how jobs get booked. Example: next open slot in the shop calendar
## Task
Write the complete script an after-hours receptionist (human or AI) follows, plus a version I can paste into AI receptionist settings.
## Steps
1. Write a warm greeting that names [BUSINESS NAME] and says we're closed but can help.
2. Collect name, callback number, vehicle/address, and the problem.
3. Ask 2-3 questions that sort urgent from routine using [EMERGENCY RULES].
4. Give the exact wording for urgent calls and for booking routine ones per [BOOKING].
5. Close by repeating the next step back to the caller.
6. Then rewrite the whole thing as numbered rules for an AI receptionist.
## Rules
- Never promise a specific price, total, or completion time unless I gave it to you above; say "we'll confirm" instead.
- Use only facts I gave you. If something is missing, write [CHECK: ...] instead of guessing.
- Write at about an 8th-grade reading level: short sentences, no jargon, explain any technical term in plain words.
- Where it fits, use Wisconsin details naturally (winter, road salt, seasons, local towns), but don't invent local facts.
## Output format
Headings: Greeting / Questions / If urgent / If routine / Closing / AI receptionist rules. Script under 300 words; rules under 250 words. Then a 5-row table: Caller says → What we do.
## Follow-ups to try next
- "Make it sound more like a small-town shop."
- "Write the version for a caller who's angry we're closed."
- "Add a Spanish greeting and closing."